78 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



make the horse jump in future if he sees a man on horse- 

 back behind him : we can spur a refuser after he has 

 jumped, and make him gallop till he catches hounds, 

 when he should be patted : this will make him answer 

 to the leg at future jumps. 



It should also be borne in mind that when the horse 

 is leading with the off hind leg it is the left spur which 

 drives him, and the right hand which keeps him straight 

 and raises the forehand, and that when a horse is 

 ridden resolutely in this way for the last two strides 

 at a fence, it is difficult for him to change his leg and 

 refuse to the left, Avhilst the left rein held low prevents 

 him from turning to the right, and both spurs stimulate 

 him at the moment he makes his spring. 



To get a horse to go slowly at his fences, the hands 

 should be raised, the knees slightly bent, and the legs 

 closed in with a light stroking action just behind the 

 girths. When the horse takes off, the rider can bring 

 his own right shoulder forward so as to counteract the 

 inclination to let go the right reins and " call a cab ; " 

 to enable the horse to walk through a gap in a fence, the 

 reins should be completely slack, or else he should be very 

 highly collected so that the eyes look on to the ground. 



If a horse does not get up sufficiently at his fences, 

 the rider should raise his hands slightly, close his 

 fingers firmly on the reins, and give the horse two sharp 

 determined blows with the legs and heels just when he 

 should take off, so as to drive him against the bit and 

 make him rise and spring ; the hand should not be 

 eased until the horse's knees have been raised high 

 enough to clear the fence, when he should be given 

 plenty of rein so that he can stretch his neck, lower his 

 head, and raise his quarters to clear the fence. 



The French have a good plan of teaching a horse 



